Game apparatus.



S. E. KELLEY,

GAME APPARMUS. APPLICATIQN man wma. 31,1917( Patented une 18, 1918.

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GAME APPARATUS.

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, Be it known that l, SIDNEY E. KELLEY, a citizen rof, the United Statesof America, residing at VVestfi'eld, in the county of Hampden and Stateof' Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus designed moreespecially for playing the game of indoor footlball, and consistsessentially of a board and markers mounted and movable thereon, and anindicating device in the form of a dial and pointer, all being of novelconstruction, as hereinafter set forth.

The game board is made to simulate a gridiron7- or foot-ball field, byhaving marked thereon divisions indicating the number of yards oneitherside of the center, with certainl other designatingmatter,including 'means whereby the necessary two opposite or Icontendingsides, representatives of the same'number of teams, are clearlyrepresented or indicated.

rlhe dial determines, with the aid of its pointer, the character of themoves to be madevwith the markers on the board, the game as played bythe two sides being directed by said dial and pointer.

The respective'sides play this game alternately, and the manner ofplaying the same is a fair simulation of that in which is played theoutdoor game of foot-ball.

The primary object of my invention is to produce an especially simpleand inexpensive game apparatus, of the class specified above. rllheboard with the markers included and the indicating1 device are both Anotonly simple structurally, but of a character that makes easy the playingof the game, so thatchildren and persons of ordinary intelligence canlunderstand and use the same practically and satisfactorily.

A further object is to provide a gaine board of this kind with markerswhich can be easily and quickly applied or mounted in place on theboard, and which then are vnot liable to become detached and mislaid .orlost, while at the same time being readily Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented ill une 1%, 191%..

Application filed March 31, 191'?. Serial No. 158,980.

players, Harvard and Yale indices being here used for this purpose,merely as an example, inasmuch as any other indices may as well beemployed..

Other objects and advantages will appear in the course of the followingdescription.

l attain the objects and secure the advantages of my invention by themeans illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-` Figure 1 is atop plan of the game board with its markers; F ig. 2, an enlargedcrosssection through said board, showing the ball marker and one of thelinemen markers in elevation, one arm of the cross support, lateralbrace, or carrier for the ball being broken off to disclose the arm ofksaid lineman marker behind; F ig. 3, an enlarged end elevation of saidball marker, and, Fig. 4, a top plan of the indicating device.

Owing to the length 0f the board the same is shown in two sections, withthe right-hand section under the left-hand section and connected byarrow-tipped dot-and-dash lines, in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout theseveral views.

A game board is represented at 6 and an indicating device at 7. l willfirst describe the board 6 and then the indicating device 7.

The board 6 is long and narrow and ma have tapered terminals 11H11.Longitudinal grooves 12-12 are made in the side edges of the board 6, orin the parallel porltions of such edges. @n the upper surface of thetapered terminals l1 are delineated dissimilar characters or insignia todifferentiate the two sides or the two players of the game, H and Y andtwo pairs of banners being here employed as such insignia, with the H onone terminal and the Y on the other terminal. two ends may be inappropriate contrasting colors, as crimson (red) and blue in this case.Goals are indicated at 13-13 on the terminals 11, although these are notneces sary. A gridiron or foot-ball field 14 in miniature is laid out ordelineated on the upper surface of the board 6 between the goals 13.rllhis field is divided by long cross lines into ten-yard lengthsindicated by `the numerals `10, 20, 30, 40, 50, from each end to thecenter, the center line being 50, and by short cross-lines 15 intoEve-yard lengths. A line of spots or rectangles 16 extends through thecenter of the field it? The banners at the The rectangles 16 are inspaced relationship, and their number and arrangement are such that eachis assumed to be one yard from the next adjacent rectangle in eitherdirection. The tive-yard space next to the H end of the field let ismarked 5' yd loss- Yale,

so too is the tive-yard space inside of and adjacent to the 10-yardli'ne'at that end, and

y slide in either` direction on the board 6;

Said' markers comprise two lineme'n marker's17i and' a ball marker: 18,the latter being' between the two former.

The' lineinen' markers 17, which are usually made ofiV wireextend acrossthe li'e'ld la and the" board' 6. At' each end of each marker7 L7 is,lan angular 'arm 19 which. ex'- t'ends downI on one side of' the. board 6above" the groovev4 12in that sid'efo'r' edge'of said board,fand1 enterssaid groove. It will be seen, therefore, that; the' arms 19'A hold themarkers 17 in place on the-boardwhether said?markers'be'stationary ormoved. One of' the linem'en'y markers 17 is employed2 by the opponentof' the player whois manipulatingthe ball'm'ar'ker18', and the functionsof'saidmarkers are similar to those ofaetual linemen in the fieldvgaine.

The'- ball marker' 18,' besides a part that extendsl across the b'oard'6, like the linemen markers 17, and has at each end an angular arm21,similar'to the arms'19 only longer inrit'svertical' portion, to engageone or the other' of the slotted edges of' said board, comprisesv avball` 22' which ismounted centrally on said part and provided at theendsV with downwardly projecting feet 253-23;` The feet23'are in thesame vertical plane with and' travel' over the rectangles 16- and'solpoint` out clearly the position of the ball22,' the foot' which isiniadvance 1n the direction oftravel being' the one employed' by theplayer' who is operating the ballfmarker.` The'feet' 231rest on theboard 'landso' support the ball 22 from below, while' the member `uponwhichl said ball` is mounted holds said" balli against lateral movement'and prevents 4the same from being turned in such a manner as woulddivert saidf'e'et from their proper course over the rectangles A 16 Theb'all122s elevated` somewhatfr'om-the boa'rd''v by the 'feet 23,'wherefore" itis "necessary 'thattle vertical portions of the arms 21 beof sutlieient length to accommodate the transverse part of the marker 18to said feet and ball and at the same time permit the inturned partswhich form the bases ot' said arms to enter and slide in the slots 12.The several parts and members of the ball marker, except the ballitself, may be made ofI wire.

It is now seen that the ball and linemen markers extend' across andembrace the board, yet can be 'moved readily in either direction, andthat said markers are always inoperative position. The markers 17 and 18can easily and quickly be slipped' on and 0E' of the board (5 at theends of the parallel-sided portion of said board.

The indicating device 7 has a dial 2li delineated' and a pointer 25mounted thereon as parts thereof. The pointer 25 is pivoted in thecenterof the dial 24C at 2G. The dial comprises a plurality of peripheral`spaces in which are arranged4 ciphers, digits, and tens, and a diametralline 27 divides the large central space inside of said peripheral spacesinto halves, and a radial line 28 divides one ot the semi-circularspaces thus produced'into two equal parts. The following' controllingdata appears on the dial: In theundivided semi-circular space Goal fromtouchdown madeforward pass completefield goal'inade, in one oit thequarter-circle spaces Forward pass incomplete and in. the other quartercircle space Forward pass intercepted, and in the combinedquarter-circle spaces Goal trom touchdown missed and"Field goal missed.This controlling data gives eiiect to the characters in the peripheralspaces. Said characters or the digits and tens' thereamong designateyards.

In playing the game with the hereinbefore described board, markers, andindieating device, the players take turns, one `spinning the pointer 25and moving the ball marker 18, each move ot said marker beingdetermined'by the position of said pointer on the dial 2a each time theformer comes to rest, until it becomes the turn of the other player tospin said pointer and move said marker. The ball marker 18 isstartedeach time from the 50-yard line, with the toot 23 which isforward' in the direction of travel resting on said line. The linemenmarker 17 which is ahead' ofv the ball marker 18, in the direction of'-travel of said ballmarker, is the one used, the same being movedby th'eopponentv of the player who is manipulating said' balll marker. The Yplayer or Yale operates the` ball marker in the half of the lield 121that is between the center of the board andthe Hl terminal thereofstart'- ing-` from said center, andthe H player or Harvard moves thelinemen marker that is between' said terminal and said ball markerineither direction'or forward and recaen backward as required. When itbecomes the turn of the I-I player to move the ball marker he alsostarts at said center, but operates in the other half oit said field,and the Y player operates the other linemen marker.

As already stated the game played With this apparatus is conducted inaccordance With ordinary foot-ball rules, which are so Well understoodthat it is not deemed necessary to eneumber this specication With evenan outline of the same. The method of scoring is included in said rulesand also applied here.

I am aware that various game boards and associated or correlated deviceshave before been employed for playing the game of indoor `foot-ball, anddo not, therefore, seek to claim broadly means for playing such game.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a game apparatus, aboard having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball field, and a marker spanning and slidingly arranged on saidboard over said field.

2. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball field, and a ball marker slidingly arranged on said board,said marker consisting in part of a foot to ride over said field andserve as a pointer.

3. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball lield, and a marker slidingly-arranged on said board, saidmarker consisting in part of a ball provided with feet to ride over saidfield and serve as pointers.

4. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball iield, and ball and linemen markers spanning andsliiingly-arranged on said board over said iie d.

5. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball eld, a ball marker and linemen markers spanning andslidingly-arranged on said board over said i'ield, said linemen markersbeing on opposite sides of said ball marker.

6. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball ield, and also having longitudinally-grooved side edges, and amarker spanning said board and provided with arms adapted to engage suchgrooved edges, said marker being adapted to slide over saidiield.

In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball field, and also having longitudinally-grooved side edges, anda marker which spans said board and engages said grooved edges, and isprovided With feet Which are adapted to serve as pointers relative tosaid field.

8. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball eld, and also having longitudinally-grooved side edges, and amarker comprising a member Which spans said board and engages saidgrooved edges, a ball mounted on sald member, and feet extending fromsaid ball into position to serve as pointers relative to said field.

9. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-,ball field, such simulation comprising a series of transverse yardlines, and a longitudinally-extending rovir of yard spots, and a ballmarker spanning and slidingly-arranged on said board, and consisting inpart of feet to rlde over said lines and spots.

10. In a game apparatus, a board having thereon the simulation of afoot-ball iield, such simulation comprising a series of transverse yardlines, and a longitudinallyextending row of yard spots, and a ballmarker spanning and slidingly-arranged on said board, and consisting inpart of feet to ride over said lines and spots, the field zones andyards lost to both sides being denoted on said field.

SIDNEY ERNEST KEIJIJEY.

Witnesses:

A. C. FAIRBANKS, E A. CUTTER.

tenten et' this patent may be obtained for live cents each, byaddressing the Gommissiener er ratenta,

Washington, D. t.

